Do you like this song? #414
Yes I like it, I already know it
Yes I like it, first time listening
No I don't like it, I already know it
No I don't like it, first time listening
Coolio featuring L.V. - Gangsta's Paradise 1995
"Gangsta's Paradise" is a song by American rapper Coolio, released on August 1, 1995 from his second studio album. Interpolating Stevie Wonder's 1976 song "Pastime Paradise", "Gangsta's Paradise" features vocals from American singer L.V. who served as a co-composer and co-lyricist with Coolio and Doug Rasheed, with Wonder also being credited for the composition and lyrics. L.V. released a solo version of the single in 1996 on his debut album, I Am L.V. This version featured additional lyrics written by L.V. himself, with rap lyrics written by Scarface and Dani Blooms. "Weird Al" Yankovic's parody "Amish Paradise" reached number 53 on the US chart.
The single reached number one in the US, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand, making it Coolio's most successful single. In Australia, the song stayed at number 1 for 14 weeks, a record that would only be broken 22 years later by Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You". Following Coolio's appearance on Celebrity Big Brother 6, it re-entered the UK singles chart peaking at number 31. In the UK, "Gangsta's Paradise" was the first rap single to sell over a million copies as well as the first rap single ever to go straight to number one. In the US, the single spent twelve weeks in the top two of the Billboard Hot 100, of which three were spent at number 1 and nine at number 2. The song was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on February 23, 1996, indicating 3 million copies sold. It has sold a further 1.9 million downloads in the US in the digital era as of September 2022. Following Coolio's death on September 28, 2022, "Gangsta's Paradise" debuted two days later at number 5 on the UK Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100, and reentered the Official Top 100 Singles Chart on 7 October 2022 at number 55.
In 2008, it was ranked number 38 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop". Coolio was awarded a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance, two MTV Video Music Awards for Best Rap Video and Best Video from a Film, and a Billboard Music Award for the song/album. The song was voted as the best single of the year in The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll. The accompanying music video for the song was directed by American film director Antoine Fuqua and featured Michelle Pfeiffer reprising her earlier role as US Marine LouAnne Johnson in the movie Dangerous Minds. The video also includes scenes from the movie. The video hit one billion YouTube views in July 2022.
"Gangsta's Paradise" received a total of 92,1% yes votes! 🎉
